Careful Resistance
by Devony V
Summary: ON HIATUS.
1. Chapter 1

Blood Lust

_Blood._

_That was my primary need at the moment. I needed it. I could smell it all around me. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. It was almost unbearable. _

_I squeezed my knuckle. The skin on my hand whitened in contrast to the dark color and the blueness of my veins popped out in my wrist. My shoulders hunched and my body contracted. I gasped. The moon shown brilliantly through my curtains. It was starting. _

_I collapsed, falling on my back. I was quivering all over. The pain was starting. The moon illuminated my face as I saw in the mirror. I saw a red tint in my eyes. My mouth opened and let out a silent scream of pain. I jerked forward, curling into a ball. I felt my hands curling and the claws were beginning to grow. My body jerked back as my feet began to change into paws. I saw brownness sprouting all over my body. I let out a sob and squeezed my eyes shut for the final moments of pain to come._

_When next opened my eyes, I was facing the mirror again. I did not see my face. I saw a monster. A horrible monster._

_I sat up. My need for blood was growing with every beat of my newly transformed heart. With a final shudder, I shook my head like a dog, formed my lips into an "O" shape and let out a loud howl._

Anyone with a brain can pick a freshman in a high school out of a crowd. Just look for the short kid who is keeping to themselves if alone, or chattering a little too loudly with other freshmen.

Any idiot could see a new student as well. It is especially easy in the middle of the year, when you see someone looking around in confusion.

That was me.

"Margarta-Rozsa Horvath?"

I was tempted leap up and run out of the office. The small number of students who were in there with me, either working with the secretary or waiting for a disciplinary meeting snickered at the strange name. As if it's my fault that the people I had to call my parents were old-fashioned Hungarians.

Instead of running away like a coward, I got up and sauntered into the school records room after the secretary called me. So I got lectured about the dress code and rules and anything else that applied to Forks High. Afterwards I went into the scheduling room. The high school in my old town was much different. We had 12 periods, though technically it was only 9, because there were a bunch of block periods for all 4 lunch periods. This school had hours. I saw that I had gym as the last hour of the day, and I had Algebra 1 first. Joy.

"Excuse me." I said to the lady behind the desk. "I am supposed to be in geometry. I was taking the course in my old school."

"I'm sorry, but I received a note about your schedule. There is only one geometry class in the school, and it's completely full."

An unavailable, _required_ geometry class? Bullcrap!

I decided not to argue, and I left for class.

I quickly found my first room. The algebra class was next to the bathroom. I jumped several times when I heard a dryer go off in the bathroom. It sounded like an angry animal growling. As for the class…I could have taken it sleeping. I had taken the course in eighth grade, for God's sake!

My next class, in second hour, was American History. I guess it wasn't that bad. The teacher looked like a wack job, but I guess it was fine.

Third hour I had freshman science. It wasn't until this hour that I realized I was getting dirty looks from some of the kids. I don't look really scary…unapproachable, maybe. I don't know. I think it was the fact that I didn't really look friendly, by the combination of the fact that I don't smile often, and my dress. I was wearing a band T-shirt and skinny jeans. Ohh, right. I remember JT Anderson at my old school. She used to dress like that. I was copying my former lab partner without realizing it. Well, people liked her because despite the "Look at me and die" vibe she gave off from her dress, she had a good attitude and was nice to generally everyone.

I just shrugged and slid down in my seat with my arms folded. I tapped the toes of my Converse together and gave a halfhearted attempt at a smile. I dropped it when the boy next to me, who was staring in what I thought was awe, looked away. Of course. I was smiling, but I was smiling at nothing, to nowhere. I noticed how stupid I must look, staring into space and smiling. I blew a strand of hair out of my eyes.

The class started. It didn't take me long to realize that they were on Basic Chemistry. I was ready to kill myself. I _hated_ chemistry. We had an introduction to it in eighth grade science and I had almost failed. I felt my head tilting to the side. I remember Kramer teasing me about how I never paid attention, because my head was practically hanging off of my shoulders and my eyelids were drooping…

_DON'T! _The voice screamed in my head. I jumped and Kramer's face left my mind. I was shaking all over, which once again attracted the stares. Only the teacher remained oblivious. I just slumped over and did my best to pay attention.

_Don't think about him_, the voice commanded. I closed my eyes, took several deep breaths and pinched my wrist. I shook off all thoughts about Kramer and continued to pretend to listen to the teacher.

Fourth hour English was the same- nobody talked to me. Before the eigth grade had ended, my English teacher had taken me aside and told me that he was putting in a special note to the high school saying that I would do well in Honors English. I had received a shock from the teacher when I can up to question her about the course- there was no Honors English course. Another nap for me. And right before lunch too.

During lunch, I managed to find a small table in the corner to sit at. I didn't bring a lunch, seeing as I had no time this morning, so I just began my homework, seeing as I dropped my study hall to take art. I didn't want any books to weigh me down on my walk home.

As I predicted, nobody came to sit with me. After finishing my algebra and history, I pulled out Great Expectations, which I was required to read this semester, and glanced around. Nobody really cared about the girl sitting in the corner.

I sniffed and began reading. It wasn't long after I began reading that the bell rang. I packed up my things and made a quick stop at my locker to dump my things in.

The class began with the teacher welcoming back the students from summer break. He began asking how everyone's vacation was. Everyone responded cheerfully. It was clear that everyone liked this teacher.

Mr. Dundee was also the only teacher who acknowledged that I was a new student. I was surprised- I later found out that he had taught at the middle school last year and knew most everyone who was taking the course. I guess he knew I was a transfer. And I certainly had not expected him to ask about my back ground.

"I'm from Texas." I said quietly. "I moved here because of a death in the family." Well, it was partially true. Best lie I could think of.

_Idiot. You could have just said that your parents got a job transfer._

This was really the only class I actually had to do something. It was actually fun. It was really the next class that was awful. Gym. I asked the teacher how often we had to take it, and it turns out- all four years. Great. I was probably the only freshman in the class. I had to be put in a threesome with these two seniors. They were friendly enough, but I didn't really pay attention to them. I heard the Hallelujah chorus when the final bell rang, when I sped to the locker room, changed and took off. I nearly tripped as I ran out of the building and down the street. I think I was halfway down the block when I saw the cars leaving the school parking lot. I didn't look to it, but I was fast. When I wanted to be.

All I wanted to do was go home. I wanted to be surrounded by my music and my utensils. My own blood didn't taste good, seeing as I wasn't human. It was all I could do to get away from the world.


	2. Chapter 2

I stopped running after a few minutes. I had promised my brother that I'd stop at the garage he worked at to check in about tonight's plans. I was going to request going out to eat, but I suddenly felt so exhausted, I just didn't want to move at all. Dragging my feet, I continued my pace until I made it to the garage.

Joe was apparently just finishing up his shift. He was polishing off the car he was working on, and he had an oil stain on his shirt. He had black finger marks all over his face. I chuckled when he wiped his hand on his forehead and smeared the marks all over. He finished wiping down the car and smiled proudly. He glanced up when he saw me.

"Hey, Mags!" Joe hopped up and walked over with his arms apart. He quickly dropped them when I made a face at him- in which my eyebrows come together and I scrunch up my nose. "Okay, no hug. How was school, kiddo?" He smiled and put his hands on his hips.

Sometimes I hated my brother. He was too happy, too sunny, and too expectant of good things. I don't think he ever grew up to see that the world is not a good place. I don't think he's aware that he illegally took me away from the foster home after I left the hospital. He did not listen to the lawyers, and my foster parents were ready to sue when he took me away.

But it was the fact that he cared that wiped away my hatred, and that was how I loved him. He was my best friend, and, at the moment, my only friend. Even when he acted like a fag. He reminded me of Kramer that way.

"It was fine." That satisfied him. He wiped his hands on the cloth that hung from his waistline and then wiped his head with it. "Okay, I'm gonna let my boss know that I'm off." He walked over to his locker about 10 feet away, turned and did a backhand toss with the keys, obviously hoping I would catch them. The keys didn't even make it close to me. I was reaching down to pick them up, but a tan hand, tanner than mine even, shot out and snatched them up before I did. I frowned as I realized I was face-to-face with what I thought was a girl at first, but when I got to blinking, I realized it was a boy, maybe a bit older than me. His white teeth stood out in a dazzling smile against his brown face, which was surrounded by shaggy black hair that gave him the look of a crazy homeless man. I could tell that it was the fumes from the car that was making his hair stick out, because his face was sweaty.

"Jacob!" My brother walked over with his bag. "This is my sister Maggie. Mags, this is Jacob Black. His dad owns the garage."

"Nice to meet you," I just nodded and half-heartedly shook his hand. I could tell this guy was over-friendly, just by the way he flashed a big smile.

"I'm taking off now, I've gotta take Mags home. Can you let your dad know?"

"Yeah, no problem. See ya tomorrow." Jacob waved and Joe followed me out of the garage and to his beat-up old truck, which I had cleverly named "The Dump Truck" on my first day out here.

"So, it was fine?" Joe said as he started the car. I just sat there. My eyes were burning. I closed my eyes so the salty tears would not fall out. "Lets just say it's no different from Texas. It's the same hell."

Joe reached over and smoothed back my hair. I rubbed my eye and took a shaky breath. He started the car and the old tank slowly pulled out of the garage and we started down the road. I turned on his stereo and plugged my iPod into it and turned to "God is a DJ" by P!nk. Joe and I had always loved P!nk. Even though it reminded me of Kramer (who'd also loved P!nk), I just put my feet up on the dashboard and started out the window, trying to clear my thoughts.

Joe, sensing my discomfort, changed the song to "Unwritten" instead. I chuckled. This had been "our song" years ago, before he left for college. I smiled. I loved music. My only love. I used to say that I would marry music, as much as that didn't make sense. It was what got me through the day. Basically, I needed music like a diabetic needs insulin.

Like a vampire needed blood. Or wanted it, anyway.

Joe and I hadn't gotten to much talking about how things had been before I'd come. We had spent the entire summer together when I finished school. He had taken my lead and not mentioned anything that had happened. He wanted me to have a happy summer.

I spent the first month under his radar. He didn't let me out of his sight while he was home, and took several precautions to keep sharp objects away from me. There were literally all of the knives, screws and mirrors and everything else sharp locked securely in a cupboard in the garage while he was at work

In July, he had the entire month off, so we went on a short road trip to the sunny shores of some California beach. We listened to these mix CD's that he'd made me years ago, ones that he'd send me from his college. He was singing along with all of them, sometimes glancing at me to see it I would join in. I didn't.

We had our own private 4th of July party and we had gone to the roof of the hotel we were staying at to view the fireworks. He had commented about a party we'd had when I was 10, when Joe, Kramer myself and Camilla and a bunch of my other friends had had a barbeque. It had apparently been a fun time, but my eyes had begun burning and he had to get me a cappuccino to calm me down.

"So I've still got last year's picture…I bet this year's will look better than last year. You've got a kick-ass hair style now." Joe said, trying to sound casual. I shrugged. I'd hated last year's picture. I looked like I was on drugs. I think what had been on my mind was relaxing- and trying to make up from the year before. Seventh grade, my hair had been braided into messy pigtails and I'd smiled hugely and I ended up squinting. I looked like a chipmunk. It was ridiculous. Last year, my hair had been very long, thick and curly, down to my waist. It was now dyed, short and choppy, down to my shoulders and it was now extremely thin. According to the doctor, I had suffered hair loss due to stress.

_Not stress. Depression._ I thought to myself. The blades had gotten to my hair. This year, I just looked half-asleep in my picture, after getting it taken at orientation.

It wasn't just my hair that had changed. My skin, once able to tan easily, had been paler since I'd left Texas. I chewed my lip so much it looked like it was permanently chapped and bleeding. I had lost a bunch of weight since the sixth grade. I ran my spidery fingers through my thin hair. The ends were almost wispy,

"So what are we doing tonight?" I asked quietly.

"Well, how does pizza sound for dinner?" Joe glanced at me.

"That's fine, I guess."

That's how we ended up in a pizza parlor about three hours later, after we drove around town making stops at some shops. We tended to have early dinners on days Joe took off or got off early, so we could squeeze a movie in before I had to go to bed. After assuring him I'd finished most of my homework, we began arguing over what movie to see.

"Rent."

"Yeah, Mag, we're renting them, the only movie theater is like forty miles away…"

"I know we're renting them. I wanna watch Rent."

"We've seen Rent a million times."

"I don't care. I wanna watch Rent."

"If you want to watch a musical, let's watch Chicago or Hairspray for a change!"

"Rent."

Joe sighed. "Your persistence reminds me of how you, me, and Kramer would watch the musicals on nights I baby-sat you guys…"

I twitched. "Fine. Scary movie."

"We've seen those a million times too!"

"Not _the_ Scary Movies. _A_ scary movie."

"No scary movies. It's a school night."

"You're just scared." Joe shot a sneer that was worthy of the gym teacher. "Oh yeah, scared like you were when we saw _I Am Legend_?"

"Mutant vampires are not nice creatures. As far as we knew, they could have ambushed us on the way home!"

Joe sighed and ran his fingers through his long brown hair. "_Fine_. We'll get some funny movie."

"Nothing stupid. Let's get _My Cousin Vinny_, that's a good one."

"Fine, but only because you know every line!"

I glanced out the window and looked at my reflection in the window. I know I will never rid myself of the darkness under my eyes. I never get enough sleep. I look a lot like Joe- or I used to. His brown hair usually shone golden in the sunlight. Joe was an outdoor guy. Over the summer, our whole family used to go to some beach across the country. I remember last year we broke tradition, because our parents sent us to Fiji rather than Myrtle Beach. We came back so dark that a boy I met when school started actually asked if I was Mexican. Joe's skin was tan all year round- it wouldn't matter if he wasn't any more girly than he was, because he wouldn't need a tanning bed. I never did either. I've spent so much time indoors since last Christmas that I suspected that my sunny genes had left me. Just like how everyone else had left me.

"So what do you think of Jacob?" that unexpected question was shot at me by my brother. I tore my eyes away from my reflection and gave him a look. "Who?"

"Jacob…that kid at the garage…" my brother said slowly. Oh. That guy with the too-long hair and the too-sunny smile.

"He's okay, I guess." I shrugged. "Does he go to my school?"

"No, he lives down in La Push; I think he starts school next week, that's why he was at his dad's shop today. His dad, Billy Black, he's the greatest boss you could ask for. Very funny, cheerful, great attitude. Coolest adult here, except for Chief Swan, probably. He's pretty kick-ass. Don't think he passed that trait to his daughter, she doesn't even look like she's breathing unless she's with that Cullen kid, Edgar, or whatever his name is…" Joe glanced at me hopefully, as though expecting me to show interest in his conversation.

I sighed. "Cullen kid?" I asked, trying to give him a small piece of my attention. I didn't really give a shit who "Edgar the Cullen Kid" or "Chief Swan's daughter" who sounded like she needed some mental help.

"Oh yeah, there's this family, the Cullens, the father's a doctor in the town, he's pretty cool. His youngest boy is dating Chief Swan's daughter, it's been all over town for months. I'll bet the girls at your school are ready to kill Isabella out of jealousy, that Cullen kid is pretty good-looking."

I raised my eyebrows at my brother, saying nothing. Joe, however, was looking around the parlor to see if he knew anyone. My outgoing, sensitive and goofy brother knew almost everyone in the town.

"Well, I see that Chief Swan decided to try pizza for a change! Either that or his poor daughter is sick of cooking." Joe snickered. I didn't respond; I just leaned my head against the booth. I felt sick to my stomach, and my appetite was definitely gone. I have been getting headaches more often.

Joe waved to some middle aged guy with his bored-looking daughter at his side. She half-heartedly waved to Joe, despite her father waving more energetically.

"The Chief thinks I rock. Well, I do." He said rather smugly. I took a closer look at Isabella. Yup. She looked as I pictured her. Slouchy, tired, antisocial…and from my gym class. That was the girl I had gotten partnered with. Her and her weird friend.

My phone buzzed madly, which gave me an excuse to look down as The Chief and Little Miss Reclusive walked over. Mike, one of my best friends from back in Texas was texting me. He told me he was going back to the hospital to run some more tests for his heart. He also sent his love and "The Others" said hello.

The Others were more of Mike's friends rather than mine. After Kramer decided I wasn't good enough to be his friend anymore, Mike had taken me under his wing and suddenly I became his new best friend. I could tell they weren't happy about it. I think Mike's sudden decision to hang out with me was partly because he didn't want to be friends with Kramer anymore after telling me he was gay and was afraid of liking Kramer. At least, that was his excuse. I think he was just mad at Kramer for what he did rather than that. But I can't really accuse him of that. That's something that friggin' Elsie Vivian would do.

I couldn't help but be nervous about his message. Mike had gotten surgery last year on his heart and had apparently gotten rid of a disease. It wasn't supposed to come back, and it was extremely dangerous.

"Yeah, Chief, this is my sister Mag- Maggie? What's going on?" He snatched my phone away.

"Intrusive much?" I snapped angrily. Joe ignored me. "_I'm going back to the hospital for a couple of tests, but it's no big deal, the guys say hi, don't worry bout a thing, I feel fine, talk to ya later, I love you, _From Mike? You still talk to that loser?"

"Yes. Because according to you, all my friends are losers. I'm not friends with the REAL losers."

"You mean Kramer? I always liked him."

"Shut up. Aren't you talking to someone?" I muttered. I put my head on the table as Joe turned and continued gabbing away to the townsfolk. I just wanted to leave and go to bed. Under the table, I texted back to Mike,

_I don't care if you say it's not a big deal. E-mail me AS SOON as you get back from the hospital. I love you too. –Maggie._

-------

"Are you _sure_ you're not sick?" Joe asked, setting down a DVD of _My Cousin Vinny_. "You didn't eat a thing at dinner."

"I'm fine. I need to check my e-mail and see what's up with Mike." I didn't give him a chance to explain as I dropped my back and dove for the computer, pulling up my e-mail. Nothing new. Disappointed, I sat on the couch.

I sat through about two hours of the friggin court movie, even though I was silently laughing while Joe was crying from the laughter. At the end of the movie, after Joe had gone up for a shower, I jumped back up and pulled my e-mail again. There was one new message from "MikeTehManiac".

_Really, Mags, it's nothing to worry about. They said there's a slight change of a WPW infection, but it went away really quick last time, remember? I'm perfectly healthy and I feel great. _

_I don't mean to get you down, but now Kramer's been talking to me, asking where you went to. I didn't tell him, I know you may not want me to. Should I just lie or tell him to piss off? Let me know. I don't want to be mean. _

_I mean, we were friends before and I think he wants to be friends again. I'm not so sure after what happened between you two. I don't know if I can trust him like that. _

_Don't forget to call me on Friday night. I hope my mom lets me come up there for Christmas!_

_I love you,_

_Mike._

Unconvinced, I clicked reply and my fingers flew over the keyboard.

_Mike-O-_

_I'll take your word for it. I'm just concerned for you. We were both terrified last time, I don't want to go through that again. Just don't do anything stupid and STAY HEALTHY._

_As for Kramer, tell him to piss off. Straight from me to him._

_Love you more,_

_Maggie._

I clicked send (from "Maggie_bear" to "MikeTehManiac") and waited for the email to go. I saw my inbox flash suddenly. I had a new message…from "NinaTheNinja", who was an old friend of Mike's. I was never sure if she was one of "The Others" but she was…kind of nice.

_Maggie,_

_Mike mentioned that he was going to e-mail you, and I guess I should check up on you. We haven't chatted in a while. You never get on MySpace anymore, or AIM. _

_So how's Seattle? I heard you get shitty weather up there. Rainy all the time. It's pretty hot up here. Of course. Is the school nice? Have you made any friends?_

_I don't think you'd want me to mention this but I saw your parents in the middle of the supermarket downtown. They were having a HUGE bitch fight. Your dad doesn't look like much of a fighter, but he was letting your mom have it. I'm not sure what they were arguing about. My mom got all annoyed and called security. "Disturbing the peace." Ha. Ha._

_Moving on from that, I don't know if Mike told you or not, but Kramer-_

That was when I clicked the little red X in the corner of the window. I didn't want to hear shit about Kramer.

I signed out of my e-mail and got up. Joe, finished with his shower came back downstairs.

"Ready for bed, kiddo?" I shrugged, walking past him. He caught me around the waist halfway and hugged me tightly. "Sweet dreams, Mag." I nodded and mumbled "You too," before walking upstairs to the bathroom.

The shower felt better than usual. It was probably because I had set it on scorching hot. It didn't hurt against my skin. As the redness grew, I saw the white scars practically scream out against my skin. The pattern of zigzags on my wrist and the scratches all over the rest of my body stood out. I glanced at the corner, but the razors were gone. It didn't matter. I'd given up a long time ago.

After scrubbing the crap out of my hair and body, I turned in for the night. As usual, I turned my iPod to my favorite band. The song that usually lulled me to sleep.

_Here I stand, empty hands_

_Wishing my wrists were bleeding_

_To stop the pain from the beatings._

_There you stood, holding me,_

_Waiting for me to notice you…_

**Okay, so I guess it's my time to say something. I've developed a recent obsession with Twilight (me and the rest of the world) and this fanfic came to me when I was on a totally different topic. I was researching Harry Potter characters. Lupin, a long time favorite, came up and I started researching about werewolves. I compared the werewolves in usual fiction and the "shape-shifters" in Twilight (i.e. Jacob) and this idea just came to me. Maggie is this strange dynamic character with an interesting history. I'm not sure if I'm going to have Maggie fall for anyone…I highly doubt it. Okay, time frame: In about a month, The Cullens leave. Just to get an idea of when this takes place. It will be crucial to the plot. I got bored with this chapter, so I decided to pop Jacob, Bella and Charlie in. I don't know what Billy does for a living, so I made him in charge of a garage. I don't really care if I'm right or not. Whatv. If you have any questions don't hesitate to e-mail me!**

**xoxo**

**--V**


	3. Chapter 3

I cut this chapter in half, resulting in a very short chapter.

Enjoy. Sorry for the wait.

"_You can push me out the window, I'll just get back up, you can run over me with your eighteen wheeler truck, and I won't give a…_" Joe Radwany couldn't resist singing along when his favorite song came on his playlist. He drummed his fingers against the wheel and rolled down the window. The weather, being as it always was in Forks, gave him the feeling of a nice, wet spring day, when the dew was just settling down. The strong rain that started in the middle of the night had let up, leaving a mist in the air. The air smelled sweet. He loved the smell. Texas was always so….dry. Ohio was worse. The weather was unpredictable. It wasn't hard to figure out why the family had moved to Texas when Maggie was five.

It had been about a month since Maggie had started school. From what he could tell, she'd made no progress with interaction with her peers, and done nothing to get out of the house. Only if he made her come out more; such as last week, when they were invited to dinner at the Black's house. Maggie had remained quiet throughout the whole dinner, and when Billy or Jacob threw questions at her as timid stabs at conversation, she answered with blunt, one-word answers. After dinner she walked around the backyard, talking to Mike on her phone.

Maybe it was Mike's illness that had drawn her attention away from making

friends at school. Or maybe it was that she didn't want friends. Maybe she didn't want to put her trust in another after whatever had happened between her and Kramer.

What _had_ happened between Maggie and Kramer? They were best friends for so long…more than that, even. They were like brother and sister. Maggie usually told Joe everything…but there was a lot he she was trying to keep from him.

She had tried to cover up the thin cuts on her wrists with sweatshirts and long sleeved T-shirts. When she didn't want to talk, she'd curl up on her window seat with a blanket and a random stuffed animal, with her music blasting. And when she got angry, she would curse out Kramer, which Joe found to be extremely annoying. Maggie had known Kramer ever since they'd moved to Texas , when Joe was 16 and Maggie was 6. Kramer had always had a happy-go-lucky attitude, much like Joe's. He had always been very kind, if not overly-nice, and he had a good sense of humor. Joe had no idea what Kramer could have possibly done to make Maggie hate him so much. As much as he doubted Kramer had done anything, he never said it out loud, fearing that it would hint that he thought that Maggie was shallow.

Joe pulled the truck into the garage and saw Billy Black in his wheelchair near the entrance. Joe waved, pulled through and parked in the spacey area. He tapped his fingers against the window, thinking to himself...how many young kids did he know around here? He didn't know the Chief's daughter personally, but she was several years older than Maggie...and she could be scared off by Maggie's attitude. He knew Alice Cullen was only two years older, but the Cullens had left recently.

Jacob knocked on the window, snapping Joe out of his trance. Joe unbuckled his seat belt and hopped out of the truck. He took a second glance at Jacob.

"Hey- you're fifteen!"

Jacob glanced up. "Yeah…I am Joe." He said slowly.

Joe rolled his eyes. "Yeah…I was just saying, Maggie won't talk to anyone else…" Joe glanced at the calendar, and then set his eyes on October 4th.

He smirked. "Hey, Jake…are you free on this day?" He pointed at the date he was looking at.

Jake glanced at it. "Yeah, why?"

"Mind doing me a favor?"

-

"I promise, Joseph, I am never speaking to you again."

"Maggie! I'm trying to help you! Be happy!"

"How can I be anything close to happy in this state?" I pulled my thin bed sheets around my shoulders. I could possibly have pneumonia, and all Joe cared about was his stupid euphoria. There was no way I was going along with it.

"Fine. I'll call a Dr. Cul- oh, damn. They left." He lightly swung his foot, jokingly aiming a kick at my bed. "Now I have to _pay_ for a doctor." He left my room, shutting the door. "I hope you're free Saturday. I'm taking you shopping for dresses."

My response was a shoe being thrown against the door. I heard his cackling as he descended the stairs.

I freed my hand from the bed sheets and grabbed the thermometer. After letting it rest in my mouth for several minutes, I pulled it out on the beep. 101.3. I had no idea how my temperature had gotten that high. I half hoped that it would last like this for the next three weeks.

Joe was making that Jacob Black kid take me to my school homecoming. According to Joe, Jacob was "More than happy" to take me to a dance. What person in the right mind would want to take _me_ to a dance? Is he even human? Maybe HE'S the one who needs to go to the nuthouse. Along with my brother.

I sat up and caressed my throat, tracing my fingernail along my Adam's apple. I tapped my fingers unrhythmically. I wanted to sleep, but my body simply wouldn't shut down.

I thought about how I'd heard Joe on the phone talking to my dad last night. He'd come to the door, saying that Dad wanted to talk, but I'd laid completely still, pretending to be asleep. I didn't want to speak to the traitor.

_Hey dad…thanks for coming to my defense. I could tell that you really wanted me as your daughter when Mom decided that I was too much of a monster to keep around._

I really put up a fight the rest of the week about the dance. I screamed that I would never, ever forgive him for it, but as much as I persisted, Joe didn't budge. So I gave up a week and a half later.

I planned to go to school tomorrow, but not dress shopping, so I just looked online and chose a long brown number. It was classy, elegant- I never really cared about how I looked, but I just fell in love with the dress. I called Joe up to look at it. He took one look and ran to the car, returning two hours later with the dress in my size.

October 4th approached quicker than I expected. Before I knew it, Saturday had come and I was being pulled out of bed by my brother. I had no idea why he was acting like this.

Unless…

Oh no. I was _not_ going to go out with that kid. I wasn't going to be friends with him either. Ohh no.


	4. Chapter 4

Hey guys! So I thought I'd already posted this…my bad.

I'm seriously considering writing a "Van Helsing" story. I LOVED the movie!

I thought about my last school dance- my eighth grade formal. That sure had sucked. Sure, Mike was my "date" for that dance, but I was unable to stop reminiscing about how Kramer and I had made plans for that the year before.

I'd been miserable the entire dance. I had sat in a corner, texting my brother when I wasn't walking around looking for food. I remember before the dance, everyone had gathered at my house in our little development. Outside, I had watched Kramer and his family drive out of the development to his follower's house. I remember that I had hated my dress- how the silvery fabric hung on my shapeless body. The scars on my arms were visible in the pictures. How I hated it. I hated that night, I hated it all.

Joe suspected that I had made no friends at the school, which was not completely true. I'd sort of connected with a kid in my art class- a boy one year older than me, who scribbled almost violently at his projects, but produced interesting work. He'd first spoken to me when Mr. Dundee had been away on a drama-club field trip and left the class with a substitute. The kid had been extremely annoying to her, always asking her questions about things that were completely random. After about fifteen minutes, she made him move to the table in the back of the room- my table. He started off by sheepishly explaining to me that every time they had that substitute, the trick was to annoy her to the point where she left as long as they didn't tell. I was impressed by his work, because after another student had picked up where he had left off, she grabbed her coat and left. Before she did, I learned that the boy's name was Adrian Ross, and he had lived in Forks his entire life. Our conversation had almost been like an IM conversation, or a scene from a movie. Me being the antisocial kid and Adrian being the mouth.

ADRIAN : So you're new here?

MAGGIE: I am.

ADRIAN : Think I know anyone in your family?

MAGGIE: Doubtful.

ADRIAN : Can I try?

MAGGIE: Joe Radwany.

ADRIAN : Oh yeah, he fixed my dad's car. Works at Billy Black's shop down in La Push?

MAGGIE: Yep.

ADRIAN : Ah. Is he a relative?

MAGGIE: Brother.

ADRIAN : Really? Man, he's like twenty six.

MAGGIE: Twenty four.

ADRIAN : Oh. Like the town so far?

MAGGIE: It's bearable.

ADRIAN : I don't like it much. There's no way I'm going to get discovered. This town is damn boring. But at least I get to play my music every Friday.

(_Adrian glances up, hoping for a reaction when mentioning that he plays music. Maggie, uninterested, continues on her oil pastel project_)

ADRIAN : You know The Goo Goo Dolls?

MAGGIE: Yeah.

ADRIAN : I love 'em. You?

MAGGIE: Not really.

ADRIAN : Well, what kind of music you listen to?

MAGGIE: I lean toward the smashes.

ADRIAN : The what?

MAGGIE: Loud shit.

ADRIAN : Oh.

It was right after that when the sub left. Adrian leapt to his feet and told me to stay put. As if I was going anywhere. He left the art room and returned five minutes later with a guitar. He got on a table and started playing a song I'd never heard before, but the rest of the room had. They were all singing the words. I would later find out that this was an original song by Adrian . It wasn't the smashes, or the music that I preferred. Music that had so much going on, that if you turned it up loud enough, you couldn't think about anything but the pain-filled lyrics. The screaming was like sweet birds chirping. I loved it.

All this had happened on October second, two days before the dance. I had only spoken to him for a little while in art class. When Mr. Dundee wasn't paying attention, he'd walk around to other tables, talking to people until our good-natured teacher chuckled and told him to return to his seat.

It was after that when I decided that I liked this school. Despite the shitty education I received.

Adrian was really the only one who talked to me since I'd started school. Mr. Dundee always tried to engage me in conversation when I walked past his desk for supplies or to turn in a project. Probably the coolest adult I'd met here. And he was probably about sixty. Coolness.

Yes, all of this happened right before homecoming. I talked to Adrian the next day as well. It was weird, talking to somebody besides Joe for an hour. I learned much about Adrian during that one hour of art class. Of course, the day before he'd made his love for music obvious. I used to love music. Now I just drown myself in it rather than play.

I learned that he had a mother and father, an older brother that he never saw since he was married and lived in Maryland , and a younger sister who was sick. How badly sick, I didn't have the heart to ask. I convinced myself that she had diabetes or asthma, rather than cancer or something like that. Or Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, I thought as I sadly thought of Mike. He could be referring to the common cold- perhaps he had to run home to make sure she hadn't coughed up a lung.

I learned that he loved to read, his ideal day out is an all-day rock concert, the only reason he loved school was to see his friends- he'd rather be at home with his sister and playing guitar or video games. He turned out to be older than I thought. He was turning sixteen at the end of the month, but he still hasn't gotten his learner's permit. "It wasn't really an issue at the moment," he had said. "We didn't feel like paying for it. Mom was unemployed at the time, so she could take me places. Plus, I didn't really know the material…but I'm getting it soon, I hope. I'd like to drive myself to school next year."

Turns out he's not a troublemaker. And he was funny, though I couldn't help but wonder why he randomly decided to talk to me. I found the corners of my mouth tugging upwards a bit when he talked. This ended when he asked me about myself.

I told him that I didn't really have much of a reason for moving here, only that I didn't want to live in Texas anymore. I could have lied, and egged on the story about the relative who died, but I couldn't think of a relative other than my parents, both of whom were still alive and healthy, unfortunately.

I told him about my interest in poetry, elaborated about my liking for the "smashes" and how my general day was- lying in bed listening to the smashes and reading poetry. When he asked me what my favorite poem was, I thought about it for a few minutes before answering.

"_Invictus_?" He repeated. I nodded. "You seem more like an Edgar Allen Poe person."

"Are you saying that because-"

"Of the way you dress? Not necessarily. Mostly your personality."

"So I'm emo?"

He started. "That's not what I said."

"You thought it."

His eyebrow raised. "Why all the hostility?"

"It's been pent-up."

"I see."

Silence.

"I don't label, Maggie."

I didn't answer.

Then that stupid bell rang. Dammit. Gym.

We both stood up and picked up our projects. "All right…what class do you have next?"

"Gym."

"Sucks…I have it right before lunch. Good luck."

"_I am the master of my fate/I am the captain of my soul_." I had stood before the mirror in my dress and recited the poem, just staring at my reflection. I'm really glad that this is practically a blind date. Did Joseph have no respect for me or something?

It's strange, the way my mind works. Somehow, something inside of my head told me to not straighten my naturally curly hair. I was so used to having paper-thin hair that my shoulders were getting tickled when the curls brushed against my bare skin. I couldn't believe that my hair still _looked_ thick. I had figured that my hair would be damaged from all the straightening…guess not. My face had thinned out. Apparently I'd lost weight on every inch of my body. I hadn't realized that my head was that big.

I figured that it was about time that I went downstairs. I remembered watching all those movies where the girl goes to her prom, and she begins her evening by "descending the staircase" and snorted. Yeah. Right.

So I held up my dress and carried my shoes in my hand as a tiptoed down the stairs. I happened to glance at the cheap clock on the wall of the apartment. Gosh. "Three o'clock? Really?" I said in irritation.

"So guess who has good news?" Joe said when he walked through the door. He seemed surprised that I was sitting on the couch. "What are you doing down here?"

"Got ready too early." I had killed the past two and a half hours by watching reruns of _Everybody Hates Chris_.

"Oh. Well…we're moving."

"Eh?"

"You know that realtor that my buddy Carlton was dating?" Joe kept talking as he walked into the kitchen.

"Who?" I was too preoccupied with watching Rochelle be a bitch in court.

"Never mind…well, I bought a house."

I raised my eyebrows. "A house?"

"Yeah. I hate this apartment. I thought a house would be nice." He said as he walked back out and sat on the Lazy Boy.

My shoulders sagged. "Joe, you didn't have to buy a house just because I came…"

"There's two of us. This is a one- bedroom apartment. And Billy Black said he'd chip in."

I suppose that was his thanks for me taking his son out.

"Where is this house?" I asked, keeping my eyes on the TV.

"Near where Chief Swan lives."

Oh no.

"You could become good friends with his daughter."

"Oh yeah, Miss Comatose?" I said.

"Things haven't been easy for her since she and the Cullen kid broke up."

I knew that. She had missed an assload of school when the Cullens had left, and when she came back (at the beginning of this week) she looked even more like a zombie. Poor thing. On the upside, maybe she'll feel prettier without the Cullens next to her. Maybe her self-esteem will eventually go up.

"When is what's-his-face getting here." I said shortly.

"You could be less apathetic. Jacob is a really nice kid."

"A little too nice," I muttered.

"What?"

I turned to him. "He's just…"

"Friendly. There are still good people in the world, Maggie. I know that you don't really trust people who are nice as a first impression, but hey, you might make a new friend."

"I did make a friend."

"Who?"

"Adrian Ross, he's some kind of punk-rocker."

"I know his family." Who does Joe NOT know? "I like him. His parents are nice, too. His poor sister, though…not easy at all, having a family member with cancer."

Crap. She _did_ have cancer. Thank God I hadn't said anything stupid to Adrian .

"Well look. Hopefully you won't drop this friend like a fly-"

"I don't want to talk about Kramer." When I said this, I pulled away from the TV and looked at Joe dead-on.

"O-kay, easy, Tiger. I'm just saying…it's okay to have friends. There are nice people in this town. Give 'em a chance, I promise you won't be disappointed."

Out of the corner of my eye, on the TV, I saw Chris getting thrown out the window. I smirked.

It was about another hour and a half after that, when Joe was finishing up dinner we heard a knock on the door. Joe went to answer it while I stayed on the couch. Hey, I wasn't trying to impress anyone.

Cheerful greetings were exchanged when the Blacks walked into the apartment. I stood up reluctantly and faced my date.

I wasn't sure if Jacob's smile was just etched on his face all the time or what. Surely no human being can be this happy. I was a little disturbed. He could clean up, though. He had on a suit that was just barely too big for him, and his hair was pulled back in a low ponytail. When he crossed the threshold, he gave me that award-winning smile, showing off his white teeth again, and pulled his jacket off. Okay, so just the jacket was too big. Everything else fit. Wow…that was inappropriate.

"Hey, Maggie!" Billy wheeled around his son to grasp my hand. I gave a half-hearted attempt at a smile.

I just nodded at Jacob Black as he wheeled his father into my brother's apartment. I was starting to feel bad. For what, I was not sure. My behavior, or my brother's twisted mind bent on destroying every ounce of sanity I had left- and ruining Jacob Black's night. I'm sure he regrets loosing this one night of adolescence. By the end of the night, he will wish it had never happened. That's what they mean by "Just say no."

Oh well. His loss. He agreed to it.

Joe was looking painfully cheerful while he dished out one of his concoctions. Chief Swan stopped by and Joe insisted on him staying for dinner. Somewhere along the line, he was asked how Bella was. He hid the look of fleeting sadness in his eyes, but I saw it.

"She hasn't been well lately. I think her breakup hit her pretty hard…I was really worried about her for awhile…" his voice trailed off. Jacob was hanging onto his every word, frowning. I fiddled with my napkin, not sure of what to say.

Dinner ended soon after that. Charlie drove Billy home and Jacob and I reluctantly piled into the truck and left for what would be the worst night of both our lives.


End file.
